BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is a global disease with a disproportionate burden among low- and middle-income countries. In Tanzania, cervical cancer is the most common female cancer and a prophylactic vaccine offering ...

This thesis investigates the measurement of acculturation, and the effects of acculturation on obesity, physical activity and sedentary behaviour, among Canadian youth. It consists of four manuscripts.
The first manuscript ...

Background: Active transportation refers to methods of travel that involve physical activity, such as walking and bicycling. For students, characteristics of both individual and contextual environments are likely associated ...

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of extreme ambient temperature on hospital emergency room (ER) visits related to mental and behavior disorders in Toronto, Canada.
Methods: A time series ...

INTRODUCTION: Low levels of methylation within repetitive DNA elements, such as long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1) and Alu repeats, are believed to epigenetically predispose an individual to cancer and other ...

BACKGROUND: An increasingly large proportion of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are frail. Measuring frailty is challenging, and generic measures of frailty inaccurately identify frailty in this ...

Background: The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified diesel exhaust as a carcinogen, and specific polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as probable carcinogens. Urban air pollution is one source of ...

Background: Work-related asthma (WRA) is under-recognized and early detection is associated with improved outcomes. The Work-related Asthma Screening Questionnaire (Long-version) (WRASQ(L)) is a 14-item tool designed to ...

Background: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the gold standard for assessing the efficacy of a medical treatment. However, the efficacy demonstrated by trials does not automatically translate into a comparable ...

Purpose: An estimated 4.3 million Canadians use private wells for daily water consumption, however well testing rates are declining, potentially resulting in an increased risk of exposure to groundwater contaminants ...

Background: Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in Canada. Although the literature has focused on individual-level risk factors as the greatest determinants for chlamydia infection, more recent ...

Background: While the provision of adequate nutrition support in critically ill patients has been shown to have an impact on short-term clinical outcomes, relatively little is known about subsequent long-term outcomes. We ...

Background: We evaluated the validity of a set of 11 quality indicators for prostate cancer radiotherapy and radical prostatectomy by examining their association with outcomes. The selected indicators were: hospital volume, ...

Background: The amount of time that it takes to get a breast cancer diagnosis is very important to patients. The Ontario diagnostic assessment unit (DAU) is designed to improve the quality and timeliness of care during a ...

Background: A significant number of laryngeal cancer patients are diagnosed with advanced-stage disease. Since stage at diagnosis is an important prognostic factor, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of ...

Background: Spending time outdoors and connecting with nature are beneficial for the physical and mental health of humans. Nature has been associated with promotion of positive mental health through stress reduction and ...

Background: There is concern that patients are waiting too long to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) after presenting to the healthcare system. Previous research has found issues with the availability and quality ...

Background: The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among farmers is greater than non-farming populations. The burden on Canadian farmers is unknown, however. Research is required to determine the occurrence of these ...